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"We're dropping Minnesota."

Posted by $ PhilValentine 10 years, 10 months ago to Movies
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I am a producer, by the Atlas Shrugged definition and the movie definition. In addition to being a radio talk show host I'm the producer of the new movie, An Inconsistent Truth, which is an answer to Al Gore's film.

I was invited to be a part of Atlas Shrugged 3 and was delighted to accept. Like so many of you, I waited years to see Ayn Rand's masterpiece brought to the silver screen. The first two were excellent and I'm looking forward to number 3.

I play the part of Eugene Lawson. Lawson is a looter of the first order. After destroying a bank he headed in Wisconsin, and almost taking the entire state down with him, he was tapped to join the Bureau of Economic Planning in Washington. Proof that the old adage is true. Defecation really does float to the top.

In my one scene, Lawson is sitting at a dinner table filled with black ties, cognac and fine cigars as the looters plot to cut off rail service to Minnesota. It's primarily a confrontation between Cuffy Meigs (Tony Denison) and Dagny (Laura Regan) who warns Meigs that cutting off Minnesota will cut off the farmers and starve the country.

I deliver my one and only line at the end of the scene when I announce to the table, "We're dropping Minnesota." I studied for days to master that line. ;)

Thanks to Harmon, John, Jim and all the great folks on the set of Atlas Shrugged 3. Can't wait to see the movie in theaters.

And remember what I always tell people who want to tax the rich more. When you soak the rich, everybody gets wet.

Phil Valentine
Host,
The Phil Valentine Show
Cumulus Media Networks


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  • Posted by evlwhtguy 10 years, 10 months ago
    I am reminded of Scott Walkers book Unintimidated, where he tells us of the union bosses in his states attitude towards wage and benefit changes for the union membership. They would rather have no reductions and see members laid off than give up anything to save jobs. These people just really don't give a damn about their membership. Thy are just interested in keeping the money flowing to them.
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    • Posted by Hiraghm 10 years, 10 months ago
      One of the best (and most unrealistic, more on that in a second) scenes in ASp1 was when Dagny confronted the union boss with the reality of his ultimatum.

      In the real world, however, *after* he said "we're not gonna allow you to run that train on the John Galt Line", and she replied, "get out of here; you do not come into my office and tell me what you will or will not allow me to do", the actual course of events would have been quite different.

      In the movie, he sputters and weakly tries to defend his position. In the real world he would have said, "I just did." and walked out.
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  • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 10 months ago
    And a patriot ... everyone should watch Phil's insightful movie titled "An Inconsistent Truth" ... you can also catch Phil's national syndicated radio show from 3 - 7 pm CT ... the whole production team was happy to include Phil in ASJG!
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  • Posted by squareone 10 years, 10 months ago
    The more I see what is happening in this country and the ignorance of those who hold leftist beliefs, the more willing I am to end friendships and acquaintances with liberals, for they believe and advocate my destruction.
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    • Posted by Hiraghm 10 years, 10 months ago
      Last night at work, I'd rescued a worn U.S. flag from the "store use" bin (it needs to go to the VFW for disposal; it had been replaced as the store's outside flag), a co-worker friend tried to tease me about it.
      About a year ago he'd thrown one of those tiny, hand-held flags on the floor of the maintenance room, after plucking it from the shelving unit where someone had shoved it. After picking it up I was so incense I told him if he did anything like that again, I'd kick the living shit out of him. (did I mention that my management evaluation concluded that I'm "non-confrontational"? :)
      So I thought he was needling me, but then he went on about how the flag is a symbol of evil, and the entire country was stolen (to which I asked how many hospitals, highways, factories and spaceships the natives had built before we came here), and built on slave labor (to which I again asked the name of the slave who invented the automobile, invented the concept of the hospital, etc).

      He later said he wasn't trying to get me upset (he didn't; I had a stomach ache that was already bothering me more), but he sincerely believed the nonsense he was telling me.

      He's otherwise a good guy, but no wonder he has a negative outlook on life, if that's where he starts from.
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      • Posted by CircuitGuy 10 years, 10 months ago
        When you go out and do stuff you make mistakes. US stole a country, used slave labor, and didn't abandon it as fast as other places. Why do those mistakes define us? It's just as accurate to say the Declaration of Independence defines us. I probably would have thought they were borrowing some ancient Greek dreams to use as propaganda, but they actually realized the ancient dreams. It became a country without an ethnicity. Someone could become a Japanese citizen, but you cannot become ethnic Japanese. There is no ethnic American, apart from Native American people, so anyone can be a part of it. It's based on an idea, not a heritage.

        Amazingly, still to this day when ave Americans hear someone pushed the boundaries, broke with tradition, disrupted something, we are excited by trying something new. In many places, people have a negative bias. They have ethnic traditions going back 1000 years, and they feel comfortable with not rocking the boat.

        I live in a neighborhood that's 85% liberal, and I see lots of flags flown.

        You don't need to be belligerent about saving a flag from being disposed of with spoiling food and general trash. The person who thinks it's okay is in the minority.
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    • Posted by cp256 10 years, 10 months ago
      I have ended several for exactly that reason. One was a dear friend for many years, but I simply could not overlook the part he was willing to play with the rotters and looters.
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  • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 10 years, 10 months ago
    It must be exciting to be part of something like this. Congratulations! I too look forward to seeing this movie and hope to have many more of a similar vein in the future.
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  • Posted by mckenziecalhoun 10 years, 10 months ago
    Playing the villain is always such fun, but hard as well, because you have to BELIEVE you are right.
    Thank you for taking on a difficult task.

    You get to play a man we'll love to hate.
    But we'll remember the actor we love, as well.

    So glad you are part of this.
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  • Posted by gwynmarilyn 10 years, 10 months ago
    There are Looters who are rich and there those who earn their weath. Sad to say I believe the Looters are winning. And that paint all the rich the same color.
    Is it fair? no But to those on the street or see their childen going hungry that is how it is.
    And once the government drain all the money from the middle class. Guess who left?
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  • Posted by Herb7734 10 years, 10 months ago
    Looking forward to part 3 and when Phil says his line, I'm going to say, "I know that guy!" Based on what he has just written in the Gulch, I actually know him better that many persons I have met face-to-face.
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  • Posted by lookdad 10 years, 10 months ago
    Glad you're a part of it, Uncle Phil! Even if only one line, I'm confident that you DID have to take days to prepare to act like a looter.
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  • Posted by fivedollargold 10 years, 10 months ago
    I had a tiny part in the play, Reckless, and I also had to deliver one line. It was amateur theatre, but as luck would have it, we had three professional actors in the cast that summer. (I guess they were between gigs, a not uncommon problem "in the biz.") At any rate, for fun and to reinforce my lowly amateur acting ability, I deliberately blew my line at dress rehearsal. The pros were not amused and there was some debate as to whether I would screw up on opening night. (I think they might have taken bets.) The diminutive lady director's threat to "kill me" took hold and I delivered my line perfectly, or at least as well as I could. It became a running gag with a different cast member asking me before each performance if I "remembered my line." I learned a lot about the difference between pros and wannabes. One guy, in particular, was off-book by the second rehearsal and was working on small details like gestures. (The dude also knew everyone else's lines.) Anyway, Phil, I look forward to seeing your film.
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